Life Before Hogwarts
by 2NiteItBeginz
Summary: Have you ever imagined what life was like for the Harry Potter characters before Hogwarts? Well here you go... Harry, Hermione, Ron, and more!


**Title: **Life Before Hogwarts: Little Boy Harry

**Author:** 2NiteItBeginz

**Pairing: **None

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything you recognize as being from Harry Potter. This is just a way to pass the time...

**Warnings: **Ummm... none.

**Summary: **Have you ever imagined what life was like for the Harry Potter characters before Hogwarts? Well here you go...

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

"BOY!"

Harry Potter's eyes flew open as he tried to simultaneously scramble off his cot and throw on a pair of trousers, but only succeeded in banging his head rather hard against the ceiling of his cupboard.

Once he was finally fully dressed and wide awake (albeit with a large lump on the back of his head) he hurried out of the cupboard, being careful not to run. After all, running was strictly forbidden in the Dursley household. Though, if Dudley ran, he just got a gentle chiding, sometimes not even that. If _Harry_ ran in the house... he quivered. There was no point letting his thoughts go down that road.

Harry was almost to the kitchen door when again he heard, "BOY! Get in here and make our breakfast this instant, or I'll come out there to make it so that you can't!"

Now, Harry might only be seven – and – a – half years old, but he thought that was a bit counterproductive. Why make it so they couldn't have breakfast by causing him to not be able to make it? It was a bit unwise in Harry's opinion.

'If he made it so that I couldn't do any work, who would do all of the chores? Who would weed the garden? Who would wash Vernon's car? _Dudley?_' Harry snorted quietly at the thought. 'The day they make Dudley work for anything is the day I know the world's gone crazy,' the young boy finished, frowning bitterly.

Suddenly remembering what had started off these unpleasant thoughts, Harry shook his head to clear the last wisps of the thought away and pushed open the kitchen door. Harry flinched back under the combined glare of Vernon and Petunia. Dudley was too busy gnawing on a stick of butter to pay any attention to his freaky cousin.

Harry quickly scurried over to the pan already on the stove and proceeded to cook a full breakfast for four people, even though he knew he probably wouldn't get any, Dudley ate more than enough for two people.

He served the Dursleys first and then waited for one pf them to acknowledge his existence to tell him whether or not he could eat today.

After what must have been at least ten minutes (Harry didn't dare check,) Vernon finally noticed him standing there and purpled.

"What are you waiting for? Get out of my house, you freak, and go... do whatever freak things you do, just make sure I don't hear anything about it," Vernon snarled. "GET OUT!" he added in a shout as he saw Harry's hesitancy. He hadn't eaten for three days, after all.

Harry, far too used to this kind of injustice to care any more, calmly nodded and left for the park.

On his way there, he remembered a notice he had seen on the bulletin board at the library last week. Apparently, one of his favorite authors was coming out with a new book sometime very soon. Harry mentally calculated the number of days it had been until the release date in his head. His eyes widened. It came out yesterday!

Harry quickly altered his path so that it would take him past the library with a new skip in his step and a happy grin on his face. His day was looking up!

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

Harry walked out of the library with slumped shoulders and a dejected look on his face. Evidently, his favorite author was also the favorite author of every kid in a tri – county area with the waiting list on that book. Harry sighed. Some days, he just hated his life.

He began the slow walk home, listing the reasons his life was horrible in his head.

A car sped by, sending the muddy water from the rain a few days ago all over Harry, drenching him to the bone.

Harry scowled, putting up an angry front for anyone who cared enough to look, which not many people did, even though all he wanted to do was cry. A tear slipped unnoticed down his cheek, mingling with the dirty wetness already there.

"Excuse me?"

Harry started at the sudden voice. Slowly looking up, the first thing Harry noticed was the man's friendly smile. This made him relax a small bit, but he still stared suspiciously at the man with the strange amber eyes. His instincts were screaming at him to trust this man, so Harry decided to let down his guard just a modicum.

"Hello," Harry said politely, green eyes staring up in inquiry. "May I help you, sir?"

"Good day," the man said, bending down to be on eye level with Harry. "May I ask your name, young man?"

"It's Harry," the child replied shyly, "Harry James Potter."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Harry James Potter," the chap solemnly responded, though if you looked closely enough, you could see a small sparkle in those unique eyes. "_My_ name is Remus Jaxith Lupin, and I was looking for Privet Drive. Could you point me in that direction, by any chance?"

Harry giggled at the funny name before his eyes lit up as the end of Mr. Lupin's sentence finally registered. "That's where I live!" he said in an excited tone. He looked at his watch (an old one of Dudley's that had been tossed aside as soon as a better version came out) and gasped. It was already 5:30!

"I have to get home real soon anyway," Harry rushed out quickly. "Uncle Vernon gets very, very mad if I'm late getting back to the house," he gave a subtle shudder, "Come on, I'll take you." He grabbed Remus' hand and resumed walking at a much swifter pace now that the image of Vernon angry was in his head.

Remus didn't miss the shudder, nor the fact that Harry had called it 'the house' and not 'home'. His eyes narrowed and flashed Egyptian gold. 'If they messed with my cub...' Remus cleared his throat, "Harry? Would this be a Mr. Vernon Dursley?"

Harry slowed to a stop and turned around with a puzzled nod and a confused furrow in his brow.

"Why, what a coincidence!" Remus cried with both a barely there note of sarcasm in his voice and a slightly mischievous gleam in his eye. Both went unnoticed by Harry. "That's where I was headed! I needed to have a chat with Mr. Dursley about something quite important," he said honestly enough. After all, Harry _was_ quite important, especially to him.

"Really?" Harry squealed in an undignified manner and, without an answer, began skipping down the street, Remus doing his best to keep up.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

In a surprisingly quick amount of time, the laughing duo made their way to the Dursley residence. Harry opened the door and yelled, "Uncle Vernon, you've got a visitor!" Harry was still in disbelief that such a nice man like Mr. Lupin would want to visit such a... not nice man like Uncle Vernon as he led Mr. Lupin into the kitchen.

Harry heard thundering footsteps overhead as Vernon heard his shouts and came downstairs to see his guest. He opened the kitchen door, ready to properly greet his company, and instead was shocked silent as he caught sight of the vaguely familiar man who was in. His KITCHEN.

This thought shook Vernon out of his flabbergasted state, and he began, puce – faced, "YOU! You're, you're one of those-" and then he caught sight of Harry, who was staring at the confrontation slightly wide – eyed.

"You – boy," Vernon blustered, "Go to your cu – er, hm," he faltered, glancing warily at the man whose identity was at the very edge of his consciousness, but who was now beginning to look a fair bit menacing. "Er, go to your room," he finished lamely.

Harry stared at the man, a bit perplexed, but he hastened to comply as Vernon was turning a rather nasty shade of greenish purple... The last thing he heard as he left the kitchen was a calm voice saying, "Why, yes, Vernon, I _am _one of _those_..."

After Harry had settled down on the cot in his cupboard (he was a bit exhausted after the eventful day), he gave a jaw – cracking yawn and fell quickly asleep, not caring at all that he hadn't eaten today yet _again_. He dreamed pleasant dreams of amber eyes, proud stags, and flying motorcycles.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

Breakfast for four was already on the table when Harry woke up the next day.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

A/N: OK, explanations. The reason Harry doesn't remember Remus in third year is because Dumbledore didn't approve of the 'visit', so he went to Privet Drive and Obliviated Harry, but after seeing what Remus had, he decided to leave Vernon as he was.

I know Remus' middle name is John, but it just seemed a bit too plain against a name like Remus, and I also thought Harry had a normal enough name for the both of them.

Please read and review! I'll love you forever::blinks angelically:


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